Photography by Ben Bentley
The Mountains In Hurricanes EP is a delightful release which with craft and ease plucks at the emotions with infectious vibrancy and potent passion. From the skilled musicianship and imagination of Josh Savage, the emotive blend of acoustic pop with rich classical and folk whispers captivates the imagination and treats the ear with a welcoming and pleasing experience.
Spending his first twelve years of life in Paris, Savage was learning the piano from 4 years of age though his bio states it was initially with reluctance until the threat of losing them ignited his motivation for them as well as to subsequently learn the trumpet and guitar too. Equally adept at singing which saw him as a soloist with the Académie Vocale de Paris which then led him to be a the last minute as a soloist for the Choir of the American Cathedral in Paris, Savage after moving to Winchester in the UK in 2003, continued singing and playing classical music. This found him touring New Zealand and Australia with the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain the following summer. With his first introduction to pop as such through A Rush Of Blood To The Head by Coldplay, he stepped forward with his own songwriting and exploration with involvements in jazz bands, rock bands, and musicals along the way. Since then he has developed and ventured into varied experiences including playing his first gig coming at The Talking Heads in Southampton aged 17, fronting indie/rock band Taming The Savage, and playing trumpet for soul band Soultana. Writing, recording, and producing the album Une Migration d’Oiseaux Sauvages in ten weeks came next, the album inspired by the small novel Le Petit Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry seeing the artist go back to his Parisian roots. Having toured since with the likes of Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Feeder, Razorlight, Reverend & The Makers, Rizzle Kicks, and Roll Deep, his self-released debut Mountains In Hurricanes is the clear mark of an emerging very promising talent.
The title track opens things up, cradling the ear with gentle caresses of acoustic guitar which lay the canvas for the expressive vocals
of Savage to picture. It is a simple mix with the richest emotive hold, especially when a wonderful breath of strings adds their shade to the air. Once more the song settles back into the dual union of guitar and voice for an inviting hug on the ear but when the strings bring their melancholic shadows to bear on the equally dark tinged lyrics again the track is elevated to further pinnacles and depth. It is a masterful stroke of restraint and enterprise, the proof simplicity can be a pungent poetic persuasion equal to or beyond the mass confrontation of other styles.
The following Figure It Out is similarly clad but with a more energetic gait to its narrative and stroll across the emotions and thoughts. With a wonderful female accompaniment vocally within its contagious invitation and an equally delicious wind of brass temptation, the track enchants and dances with the senses. It is a summers stroll through reflective shadows and wholly magnetic like its predecessor.
Mountains In Hurricanes is completed by firstly the magnificent Take Off Your Shackles, the strings reacquainting their seduction with the ear whilst Savage again paints an alluring canvas with his fine vocals and guitar. The bulging beats bring further diversity to song and release, their resonating punch pressing welcomingly with darkened intent within the mesmeric air and heat of the song. The best track on the release it is followed by the least successful, a mix of the title track. Maybe it is reflected by the fact the title is not listed on the sleeve of the CD sent through to us, but as inventive as it is and probably fans of re-mixes will love it, the version removes all the power and emotive depth of the impressive song.
Ignoring that final track, Mountains In Hurricanes is a wonderful release from in Josh Savage, an artist destined to provide and receive great things. A must have release for lovers of melodic and emotive beauty.
8.5/10
RingMaster 25/04/2013
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